Ariana Grande's latest outfit combined three seemingly disparate inspirations—monochrome dressing, TikTok's balletcore trend, and her upcoming Wicked musical movie—into a single, all-pink look. Following her absence at the 2024 Grammy Awards last night, the "Yes, And?" singer wore a pale pink gown worthy of the Good Witch herself.
As shared to Instagram, Grande posed in a pink Balenciaga dress covered in sheer layered bows. Set against a semi-translucent base, the floor-length piece's tone, textures, and bow-tied waistline instantly channeled Galinda—the lead character Grande will play alongside Cynthia Ervivo in the upcoming Wicked musical film adaptation. Stylist Mimi Cuttrell emphasized the look's feminine nature with a set of matching silky pumps, as well as contrasting pale taupe tights and diamond stud earrings.
Though Grande's outfit visually channeled Galinda's glamour, it also leaned into the ultra-feminine "balletcore" movement. The TikTok trend, which highlights ballerina-inspired details ranging from pink, black, and white color palettes to silk bows, thin-strapped flats, and rosettes, has grown as a top fashion moment in the early 2020s. Other stars who've gotten in touch with their inner prima ballerinas through fashion including Sydney Sweeney, Emma Stone, Gigi Hadid, and Hailey Bieber; Jennifer Lopez recently test drove the trend through a layered nude manicure.
Grande's whimsical dress also marked her latest outing in a dance-inspired look. In January, the musician released her "Yes, And...?" music video, which found her performing for music critics in a black-and-white cutout leotard by Rodarte with a black Alaïa skirt, sheer tights, and low-heeled pumps. The same color palette was also seen in the video's original inspiration: Paula Abdul's own music video for her 1989 track "Cold Hearted."
While Grande's recent outfits have been tied to characters she's playing on film and in her music videos, there's no doubting that they reflect her current personal style era. Her fashion philosophy, she told Vogue in a 2021 cover story, is to be as authentic as possible: "I think it is important to stay true to who you are and pick things that you really, really love,” she said.
